


The End of Time

by Herminbean



Series: The Wrong Regeneration [2]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Doctor Who Fusion, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Gen, Warnings May Change, What-If
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-25
Updated: 2018-11-13
Packaged: 2019-07-17 11:03:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 12
Words: 10,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16094363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Herminbean/pseuds/Herminbean
Summary: The Eleventh Doctor takes on the Master and the Time Lords. But will the change in regeneration change his fate?





	1. Chapter 1

_He will knock four times._

The words echoed in the Doctors head. A warning from Carmen after he had saved everyone from the planet of the dead. For the longest time it had played on his mind. What did it mean? Now, as he stood in front of the burning rubble that used to be Broadfell prison, it all became clear. The thought had entered his head before of course. He never stopped talking about the beat of four. But, he was dead. The Doctor had stayed with his body for days to make sure. It took Time Lords a long time to fully die, and he had to make sure. But there was no sign of regeneration. He was truly gone. The Doctor had burned his body himself. However, the Ood told another story. They had shown him the ring that fell from the fire. The woman who claimed it. He shouldn’t have been surprised really. It's not like this was the first time he had cheated death. And now there was no doubt in the Doctors mind what the four knocks meant. What it could only mean.

The Master.

The Doctor turned back to his TARDIS. He had to find the Master. From the looks of the prison, things hadn’t gone according to plan, but he had to still be alive. It was just a matter of tracking him. That shouldn’t be too hard. A Time Lord on earth was like a shark in a fishing tank. They tended to stick out. 

_Sometimes, I think you need someone to stop you._

Donnas words came rushing back to him. If events of late had shown anything, it was that she was right about that. Mistakes were made. The Doctor had pushed things too far. And with that, the Ood had appeared before him, calling to him. Not much scared the Doctor, but that image had haunted him. He had spent the next few months running like hell. He had done his best to forget, to go on adventuring like always. He had even succeeded for a while, although most of it was a muddle of memories in his head now. He seemed to recall two old men with him in a cell. But the memory wasn’t complete. All he knew was he had won, he was here. And there were more pressing matters to attend to.

As the Doctor bashed his console at random trying his best to lock onto the Masters co-ordinates, he looked around his empty TARDIS. What he would give to have his friends with him. Rose, Martha, Sarah Jane. And of course, Donna. But, she wasn’t here. She was gone. Ever since she put on the Chameleon Arch…

No, he couldn’t think about that right now. Donna was gone, but the Master was here. He needed to concentrate.

The screen beeped wildly. Got him. The Doctor flipped a switch and the TARDIS lurched into life. He could still save the Master. Even if it meant his own death, it would be worth it if he could save just this one.


	2. Chapter 2

The four metallic clangs echoed through the quarry. It felt to the Doctor he had spent half his life in quarries, so it seemed rather fitting that this would be where he died. He scanned the area, trying to pinpoint the source of the noise. It was clear the Master knew he was there, and it was also clear he hadn’t lost his flair for the dramatic. 

Another four clangs burst through the silence. This time the Doctor was ready for it. He sprinted in the direction of his doom as fast as he could. Running the other way hadn’t worked out for him, so it was time to accept his fate.

Four more clangs. The Doctor felt each beat thump through his body, each one stronger than the last. It felt wrong. Like something inexplicable was tugging at his mind telling him he wasn’t meant to be here. And yet there was something else pulling at him telling him this was always meant to be.

The next four clangs were more urgent. It thumped in the Doctors head, and for a second, he could almost feel the Masters insanity pushing its way inside him. It took all of the Doctors concentration to keep it out. He had taken a few steps down that road before, and that had led him here. He wasn’t going to let it consume him again.

The doctor ran faster. With each step, he just knew he was closer. What waited at the end of this run couldn’t be anything good. And yet his feet kept moving. This was his friend. Destiny be damned, he was going to try and save him.

The Doctor stopped suddenly at a ridge. In the distance, he spotted a silhouette. His hair was different, and he looked a lot wilder, but this was still the same Master he knew before. The one who created Saxon. The one who died in his arms. But even from the great distance, the Doctor could see something different in his eyes.

The Master spread his arms and released the craziest scream he had ever heard in his life. It was animalistic and full of pain. It went on and on and on, until finally it faded.

“Well,” The Doctor muttered under his breath. “nice to see you too.”

The Master knelt, and in an instant, he flew into the air and disappeared over the ledge. That was new. The Master had been many things over the many years, but the Doctor had never seen him do that before.

The Doctor took chase. He couldn’t let him get away. Whatever had gone wrong with the Masters resurrection, it was clearly serious. Despite everything else, he was still the Doctor. 

A chill ran up the Doctors spine at that thought. But that would have to wait.

The Master was waiting for him on top of some steel girders. He looked manic with the biggest smile on his face. The skin on his face seemed to melt away, and for a split second the Doctor saw the skull underneath, grinning at him.

“Listen to me, just listen.” The Doctor said frantically. “Your life force, it’s failing. That’s why you’re going all…” He waved his hands around trying to find the word. “…Skeletor-y.”

The Master didn’t say a word. His smile faded for a second and he didn’t seem to see the Doctor at all. He looked right past him, his eyes glazed over. And then the smile came back. He laughed wildly and hurled himself off the girders and out of sight.

The Doctor took chase and clattered right into another body. They stumbled to the ground in a heap of arms and legs. The Doctor looked down at the obstacle and found an old lady looking up at him in shock. 

“Minnie. Are you ok?”

The Doctor jumped to his feet and ran to the girders. He jumped up, stumbling slightly and scanned the area behind. Nothing.

“Excuse me, young man.”

The Doctor span to see the old lady being helped up by a group of elderly folks. She looked a little miffed to say the least.

“It’s bad enough knocking a lady off her feet, but one of my age and not even apologising?”

The Doctor rushed up to the group.

“Did you see where he went?” He asked.

“Who?” Minnie was dusting herself off.

“The Master. Crazy looking guy. Leaps through the sky like the incredible Hulk. You can’t miss him.”

“You’re looking for the Master? He wouldn’t in anyway be connected to the Doctor, would he?” A voice behind him enquired.

The Doctor spun on his heels. “And how would you know…” The Doctor froze when he saw the face. “You?”

Wilfred Mott looked back at him with unrecognising eyes. This is what the Doctor had dreaded, and now he had to face the music.


	3. Chapter 3

_The man who keeps running_

The rain was heavy, although the Doctor barely noticed. He stood, silently, looking at the house across the street. All he had to do was walk up to the front door, right the bell, and explain. They deserve to know. He had a duty to tell them.

He knew they would be in there right now. Waiting for her to return. After all that had happened, the planets, the Daleks, all of it, they would just want to know that she was OK. How could he tell them that she wouldn’t be returning?

The Doctors floppy hair fell into his eyes, the rain finally becoming too much for it. He brushed it back, waking him out of his daze. He couldn’t do this. This wasn’t him. What would he even tell them? He was a stranger to them now.

He turned and headed back to his TARDIS, his fists clenched. He was shaking. Was it the rain, or was it his emotions? The Doctor couldn’t tell anymore. He turned slightly, looking back at the house.

_Never Looking back_

The curtains moved slightly, and the silhouette of a face peered out. The Doctor was in darkness, and was convinced he couldn’t be seen, but his TARDIS was a bit harder to miss.

The Doctor swiftly entered his TARDIS and shut the doors behind him, just as he heard the houses front door open. He couldn’t do this. He wasn’t strong enough. He couldn’t tell them.

On the floor, the Chameleon Arch was still smoking. A reminder of the mistake he had made. The device that had taken his friend from him. He kicked it in frustration, sending it sliding across the TARDIS floor. He didn't want to see it. He didn't want to remember.

_Because he dare not_

The doors started banging, and a voice trailed into the TARDIS. The Doctor barely registered it. He knew who it was, and he knew what they wanted. His friends name was filling the TARIDS, louder and louder. It rang in his ears.

It was all too much. The Doctor punched at the console and the TARDIS wheezed into life. He had to leave. He had to run away, and never look back.

_Out of shame._


	4. Chapter 4

“Me?” Wilf looked at the Doctor, confused. “Do I know you?”

The Doctor was used to lying. Especially when it was for the greater good. But when he looked at Wilfs face, the guilt was too much. “No, you don’t.” It technically wasn’t a lie, he told himself.

“I’m telling you, Wilf, the box was spotted near here. That Doctor fellow must be nearby.” Minnie bustled up next to Wilf, but Wilf barely paid attention to her. He was studying the Doctors face. “Wilf?”

“What? Sorry, what?” 

“The blue box. The one you were looking for. Junes sister is sure she saw it near here.”

Wilf turned on the group. “Well then, we need to spread out. Remember who you’re looking for everyone.”

The group dispersed, the Doctor occasionally overhearing them mutter descriptions to themselves. A “sticky up hair” here and a “long brown coat” there. They shuffled off, all except for Wilf. He turned back to the Doctor with a frown on his face. Did he recognise him? Perhaps the Doctor wasn’t as shrouded in darkness that night as he thought.

“Well…” the Doctor waved his hand stiffly at Wilf and turned to leave.

“Hang on a minute.” Wilf trotted around the Doctor to block his path. “You mentioned the Master. Crazy face, right? Crazy laugh, as well?”

The Doctor thought. “I guess you could say that. It’s more like…” The Doctor flailed his arms around wildly and did his best to mimic the Masters laugh. Wilf stared at him, bewildered. “OK, so I can’t really do it. You know what I mean though, right?”

“I do.” Wilf shifted uncomfortably. “Have you had the dreams as well?”

“Dreams?” The Doctor leant down, his face now inches from Wilfs, studying it deeply. “What dreams?”

Wilf pulled away slightly. “I…I’ve been dreaming of this face. Crazy, like you said. Every night, the same dream.”

The Doctor frowned. “That’s not all, is it? Why would you assume I’ve had the same dream?”

“Because, everyone I know has. We’ve all had the same dream. And it’s so vivid. It feels real.”

The Doctor stood up straight and looked around the quarry, searching for the connection. The Master returns, and everyone dreams of his face. Mind control? Then why hasn’t it taken hold yet? How is he doing it on such a massive scale? And why did this whole thing feel so familiar?

Wilf broke his train of thought. “It’s you.” The Doctor froze up. This was it, he had figured it out. “You’re the one I saw that night. You were with the blue box thing. You went inside. You’re…you’re a friend of the Doctor.”

Perhaps the Doctor had more time than he thought. “In a sense, yes.” He leaned in close and whispered in Wilfs ear. “Although to be honest, most of the time I can’t stand him.”

Wilfs eyes were full of hope. “Is he here? Is…” He hesitated. “Do you know Donna?”

The Doctors heart sank. Even hearing her name still caused him pain. He did his best to hide it. “What do you need the Doctor for?”

“You know him. You know this kind of thing is what he does best.”

The Doctor smiled. “Yes.” He patted Wilf gingerly on the shoulder. “Yes, I suppose it is.”

“Please.” Wilf took the Doctors hand from his shoulder and gripped it tightly. “You have to get word to him. You have to tell him that the world needs his help.”

The Doctor smiled softly. “I’m sure he’s already all over it.”

“And…” Wilf hesitated. “…and if you see Donna, tell her we miss her. Tell her to visit soon. Tell her not to forget about me.”


	5. Chapter 5

The Doctor scanned the quarry. He had been here so long now, it had grown dark. Wondering around aimlessly didn’t seem to work out too well for him. He was certain the Master would pounce sooner or later. The Master loved taking him prisoner and dramatically revealing his plan bit by bit to him. But no matter how long he wondered, the trap never pounced. Which could only mean one thing. The Master didn’t have a plan. The Doctor wasn’t sure if that was a relief, or terrifying. 

After the sun dipped below the horizon, the Doctor went to plan b. Rummage through his pockets. He’d often stick things in there and forget about them, and in situations like this there was usually something that would help him. This time was no different. He found a yo-yo, a pear (which he promptly threw away) and most importantly, a device that went…

_Ding._

The Doctor glanced down at the device. He was certain he had used it at some point in the past. But in what capacity, he couldn’t remember for the life of him. All he knew was that it was a scanner of sorts, and after a few minor tweaks to change what it scanned for, he was ready to roll. The Master was…behind him? The arrow clearly pointed down. He spun around and began walking back the way he came. However, the device still pointed down. He spun again. Down it pointed. The Doctor frowned. He had definitely calibrated it right. He set it to search for two hearted individuals. That meant the Master and…

The Doctor sighed deeply. “Doctor idiot.” He took out his sonic and zapped the device a few times. “Not me, you got it? I know where I am, obviously.”

He banged the device against his hand in frustration. If there was one thing the Doctor hated, it was an insolent machine. He rolled his eyes as the arrow spun around in circles.

_Ding._

Success. The device was pointing to the right. The Doctor turned slowly, and the device followed his movement. The Master was directly in front of him. How far, he couldn’t be sure.

He took off in a trot, occasionally looking down at the device. Every so often the arrow would twitch and spin back around to face the Doctor, but one hard whack and it went back to its sure and steady position. And then, the Doctor saw him.

He wasn’t hiding. He wasn’t standing with that smug look on his face, knowing the Doctor would find him. It wasn’t the usual dramatic reveal at all. The Master was simply crouching in a clearing, noisily chomping on something. The Doctor dare not guess what. He just wanted the sound of crunching to stop.

It was almost like the Master had heard his wish. The crunching stopped, and the Master froze. Slowly, he raised to his feet. They had always had some connection to each other, and clearly the Master could sense him. He turned slowly, and once again the two enemies were face to face. The look in his face was manic. It tore at the Doctor to see him this way. He slowly put the device back in his pocket and raised his hands.

“Please.” He said softly. He knew the Master could hear him, no matter how quiet he seemed. “I can help.”

Without warning, the Master threw his hand up in front of him, and an energy bolt burst forth. It missed the Doctor by a hair, and a fireball erupted behind him. The Doctor span on his heels and admired the explosion, his hands waving wildly, almost independent from his body.

“Now then, was that really necessary?” The Doctor turned back on the Master, giving him a look of steely determination. “I just want to talk.” 

He braced himself for another energy blast, but it never came. The Master was staring again. The same way he had before. It was like the Doctor was invisible to him. And just like that, the manic smile spread across his face.

“OK, let’s talk.” The Master hissed. “But on my conditions.”

And with that, the Doctor was flung backwards as the Master fired an energy blast directly into his chest. He landed on his back, the air forcing its way out of his lungs. He stared up at the night sky, desperately fighting for breath, until in the night sky, the Masters grin appeared. He knelt next to the Doctor and gave him a pitiful look.

“This new body of yours. Can’t take a hit well, can it.” He slumped to his knees and finally sat himself down next to the Doctor, looking up at the sky with him. “Do you ever miss it? With all the night skies you look at, from all those planets you visit. Do you ever miss our night sky? There really wasn’t anything quite like it, was there?”

The Doctor inhaled deeply with a ragged breath. “You’re dying. Your body, it won’t last long.”

The Master ignored him. “Why is it always four? One two three four. One two three four. One two three four. Always, it’s there. Why?”

“You need help. You’re a survivor, always have been. Let me help you.”

“Listen.” The Master raised his arms, as if quieting a crowd. “Listen. Just listen. Hear it. One two three four.”

The Doctor shook his head. This might be it. He was waiting for the four knocks. But they weren’t here yet, and he had to try. “Please…”

The Master faced the Doctor sharply. “Please…” He echoed. He gently placed his hands on the Doctors temples. 

In a second, everything changed. The Doctor heard madness. He heard the thumping. It was the loudest thing he had ever heard, yet it seemed to make no sound at all. Just a feeling in his mind. It banged in his head, and the Doctor was certain he was dying. He pulled away in shock and found himself speechless. 

The Master had risen to his feet and taken a few steps back. He crouched slightly, studying the Doctors face. “You heard it?”

“I…” The Doctor faltered. What was in his mind? 

“You heard it.” The Master proclaimed, louder. “You heard it, you heard it, you heard it, you heard it.” 

He laughed manically, his arms raised to the sky. In the blink of an eye, he was gone, just his silhouette against the sky as he soared over a nearby hill. The Doctor staggered to his feet and took chase. That noise. It was something that caused his stomach to turn to lead.

He found the Master a fair distance away, his manic expression turned to one of joy and relief.

“It’s real. You can’t deny it now. I’m meant for something. This noise, it is meant for something. You can’t stop it, Doctor. What is it? What am I meant to do?”

A light enveloped them both. The Doctor turned to see the source. He could barely make out the blades of a helicopter through the blinding light. He turned back just in time to see people in swat gear grab the Master. The stuck something in his neck, and he went limp.

“Don’t you…”

The Doctor didn’t see the man behind him. He didn’t sense the gun swinging for his head. All he knew was that one minute his friend was being taken away, and then unconsciousness took him.


	6. Chapter 6

The Doctor staggered through the quarry. How long had he been unconscious? The sun was coming up, so he figured it had been a few hours at the very least. He could have used the position of the sun rising to tell the time, but his head was still swimming, and he was angry.

Every time he came close to getting hold of the Master, he would slip through his fingers, and it was getting old. He had to find him, contain him, cure him if possible. Whoever had taken him couldn’t have anything good planned. It just didn’t seem to be that kind of day for the Doctor to have that much luck. By the time the Doctor got to his TARDIS, he was fuming. And seeing a pile of rubbish propped up against the door didn’t help.

He grabbed the pile and attempted to shift it to one side. But much to the Doctors surprise, the pile moaned and shifted itself. From underneath a large, fluffy coat, a face peered out and locked eyes with the Doctor.

“You?” It said. It was Wilf. He looked rough, like he had been up all night.

“What are you doing?” The Doctor snapped, his patience all but gone at this point. 

“I’m waiting. This is the Doctors box, isn’t it?”

The Doctor gave an exasperated sigh. “Yes, but…”

“I don’t know if you’re hiding him or what, but I need the Doctor. And I’m not going anywhere until he gets back.” Wilf leant against the door and crossed his arms.

There was no time for this. The Doctor pulled out his key. “Get out of the way.”

“I told you, I’m not…”

“I know, we’ll wait inside.” The Doctor shoved Wilf aside and slid the key into the TARDIS.

Wilf looked baffled. “You can open it? I thought only the Doctor could…”

“Only the Doctor and those he trusts can open it. You coming or what?” The Doctor swung the doors open and rushed inside.

The TARDIS hummed gently as if to welcome him home. It was always comforting to the Doctor and helped get his mind straight. And he would need to think straight if he was going to pull this off without making Wilf suspicious. He ran up to the console and quickly pressed a few buttons before Wilf followed him in. Despite everything that was going on, he couldn’t miss his reaction. IT was one of his favourite things. 

Wilf didn’t disappoint. He walked through the TARDIS doors apprehensively and froze as he saw the vastness before him. The TARDIS doors slammed behind him as the Doctor pressed a button on the console causing Wilf to almost jump out his skin. He looked around in a daze. 

“It’s…it’s…”

The Doctor smiled. He knew what came next.

“It’s a bit dirty, isn’t it?”

The Doctor frowned, although he could hardly argue. It had been a while since the TARDIS had changed its desktop and for some reason he had always felt his face somehow didn’t match this grungy interior. Often though he just left it up to the TARDIS to pick how she looked, and if this is what she wanted he wasn’t going to cause a fuss.

“It’s also bigger on the inside, maybe bring that up first, eh?” The Doctor murmured.

While Wilf was busy spinning around, trying to wrap his head around what he was seeing, the Doctor pulled the scanner from his pocket. It had caused him problems before, but now it knew exactly which Time Lord to look for, it should lock onto his co-ordinates in no time. He had to be quick though. If Wilf saw him doing sciencey things with the TARDIS, he was sure to ask questions, and there just wasn’t time for that.

The Doctor discreetly slipped the device into a slot on the console.

_Ding._

Wilf spun around. “What was that?”

“That?” The Doctor shrugged. “Beats me. The TARDIS is very independent. It often does stuff without any outside interaction. I’m sure she knows what she’s doing.”

Wilf looked at the Doctor suspiciously. “She?”

The questions were coming in hard and fast already. If they lingered there much longer he might just figure out who he was. He needed to get things moving. Why hadn’t they taken off? He needed to distract Wilf. Surely his 900 year old brain of vast genius could think of something.

“Ooh, what’s that?”

The Doctor pointed behind Wilf. He spun around and as hard as the Doctor could, he kicked the console. The TARDIS spluttered into life, wheezing and churning as the centre column moved up and down. Wilf, wide eyed, steadied himself against a railing.

“What’s going on?”

“I told you, she has a mind of her own. She’s taking us to where we need to go. Wherever we’re going, I’m sure we’ll find what you’re looking for.”

Wilfs eyes lit up. “The Doctor?”

The Doctor grinned. “Answers.”


	7. Chapter 7

Once again, the Doctor found himself with bound and gagged. How many times had he been tied up in his lives? Since meeting River Song for her last time, admittedly the number had increased. If only this time was as fun as those. The Master didn’t seem to be in the playful mood though. None of the Masters did. 

As if dealing with one of the Master was bad enough, there was now an entire planet full of him. The Doctor wanted answers, and he certainly had got them. Upon landing at a mansion, the Doctor searched around for any sign of the Master. What he found instead were two sentient cacti and a giant contraption making worrying noises.

The cacti, or Vinvocci as they preferred to be called, had explained the purpose of the machine was to repair bodies. But not just one at a time, it repaired on a planetary scale. And that’s when it clicked. The Master wasn’t just going to control this time. He was going to transform.

And so, the planet fell to the Master. Wherever the Doctor looked, the Master was there. There was no human race. There was only the Master race. 

The Master approached the Doctor with a devilish grin on his face.

“So, what do you think, Doctor? Pretty impressive, eh?” He leant in mockingly. “I’m sorry? What was that?”

The Master laughed and spun around on the spot. The other Masters smiled from the side. The Doctor had originally planned to disguise one of the Vinvocci in order to escape, but he had realised too late. The two cacti had followed him and had been discovered by the Master right at the moment of transformation. Needless to say, they had skedaddled rather sharpish once their identities had been exposed. Having seen how close he was to being tricked, the Master had taken no risks. At least five copies of himself were present in the room with him, all of them with the same devilish grin on their face.

“What do you think?” The main Master asked one of the copies. “Do you think we’ve stunned him into silence at long last?”

“Seems like it.” The copy responded. “Wish we’d known all it took was the eradication of his favourite race earlier.”

The main Master nodded in agreement and turned on the Doctor. “You see, Doctor, I know you. The Doctor is safest when silent.” He sighed and rolled his eyes mockingly. “But it’s also him at his dullest. Ungag him.”

One of the copies walked forward and unclipped the gag. The Doctor never broke eye contact with the main Master. He didn’t want to lose sight of him. The Master grinned again and walked up to the Doctor.

“Let’s try this again.” He leant in close. “Hello, old friend.”

“Listen to me. Please. You’re still not fixed. You’re still dying. But I can help you.”

All the Masters laughed in unison, each one echoing the other. “Help? This body is destined to die. I’m just having some fun before it goes.”

“You don’t have to die. You know I can help you.” The Doctor pleaded.

“Doctor, the day I join forces with you is the day I die.”

“That will probably be today. Why not let me try and save you?”

The Masters smile faded, and his gaze drifted to nothingness. “It…it wouldn’t matter. It would still be there.” The Master closed his eyes, and his copies followed. “One two three four.”

The copy Masters parroted him, each one in as much pain as the other. They all heard it, the Doctor realised. They weren’t just simple copies. They were the Master. An individual entity in his own right. 

“The sound in your head. What if I could fix it?”

The Masters opened their eyes. The main Master pushed the Doctor slightly and walked away. “You think you could? Where I’ve failed, you think you could succeed?”

“You know I have more of a chance.” The Doctor smiled. “I was always the smarter one.”

That got all the Masters attention. The couldn’t help but show their annoyance at that. 

“If you’re so smart, how is it in the matter of hours I went from being tied up in that chair to having _you_ tied up in that chair, eh?”

“Hours you say?” The Doctor looked up the sky, unimpressed. “I could do it in minutes.”

The Master stormed up and glared at the Doctor. “You over estimate your intelligence, Doctor. That’s always been your weakness.”

“And your inflated ego has been yours.”

“I don’t think that…”

“I’m sorry, did you think I was taking to you? I was actually talking to him.” The Doctor nodded behind the main Master at one of the copies. “See what I mean about the ego? You just assumed I was talking to you.”

The copy looked shocked for a second, as did the main Master. Then he smiled. “Always so clever, but you were still talking to me. You’ll only ever talk to me ever again.”

The Doctor sighed. “You got me there. All I see is you, you, you.” He raised his eyebrow, pretending to be in deep thought. “That does raise the question though, why are you doing all the talking?”

The Masters exchanged confused looks. “I’m…the first.”

“Aaah, of course. And these are your, what? Lackies?”

The copy Masters frowned, and one piped up. “Never call me a lacky.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t think you were allowed to talk without “the first” giving you permission.”

“I don’t need anyone’s permission. I’m the Master.”

“Yes. Yes you are. I truly believe that. What are you doing all the way back there? Wouldn’t you like to give me the evil genius speech?”

The main Master stepped between the Doctor and the copy. “Enough of this. Tell me…”

“Enough?” The copy Master stepped forward. “I don’t take orders. Who do you think you are?”

That made the Doctor laugh, until all the Masters glowered at him. “Sorry, silly question that’s all.”

The main Master turned on the copy. “I’m the original. Without me, there would be no you. This is my plan, my time. You’re just…”

“Just what?” Another copy asked.

The main Master looked from one to the other. They all had the same look on their face. 

“You all need to get back in line. We need order if this is ever going to work.”

“The Master hates order.” A copy said, and he stepped forward. He was quickly followed by the others, their fingers flickering with electricity. The main Master threw his hand up and shot a beam at one of the copies, knocking him down. The copy lay on his back, gasping for breath.

“You might look like me, but only one of us is truly a Time Lord. Do you think you can take me?”

They all exchanged glances. “Together, we might.”

“If I may interject, I might have something that will help.”

The Masters turned to look at the Doctor, now tied up alone in the middle off the room, a fair distance from them all.

“I once spent a week partying with Houdini. You know him, the magician bloke? Anyway, he taught me that in order to perform the perfect magic trick was misdirection. Put the line of sight somewhere else and let the magic happen elsewhere. He also taught me this awesome trick where he could swallow items and bring them back up at will.” The Doctor stuck out his tongue, revealing the glistening TARDIS key laying on top. He attempted to say the rest, despite his tongue getting in the way. “Hey, I didn’t say this would help you.”

The key began to glow brightly and before any of the Masters could react, the TARDIS materialised around the Doctor. The Doctor was once again in the console room. Tied up, but in the TARDIS at least. And from behind the console, Wilf popped his head out, holding the DVD that had allowed the TARDIS to home in on the key.

“Good job Wilf.” The Doctor exclaimed. “The homing device worked perfectly. Now, untie me.”

Wilf didn’t move. He had a blank expression on his face. Slowly, he walked up to the Doctor.

“That man.” He said slowly. “He called you Doctor.”


	8. Chapter 8

The Doctor found himself wishing he were still facing off against several Masters. Instead he found himself facing off against Wilf, and the truth. The Doctor pulled at his bonds fruitlessly. The TARDIS shook slightly, but Wilf barely seemed to notice.

“Wilf, listen…” The Doctor started.

“Why did he call you Doctor?” Wilf didn’t break eye contact.

The TARDIS shook again, more violently. “We don’t have time, we’re still in danger. We need to dematerialize.”

“Tell me what he meant. Who are you?”

The TARDIS jolted almost knocking Wilf off his feet. He caught himself on the TARDIS console. The Doctor didn’t have the luxury of being able to catch himself. He fell, still tied up, and landed on his side, his face pressed against the grated floor. Finally, Wilf seemed to acknowledge they were still in danger. The TARDIS boomed, the cloister bells ringing throughout, and the console turned red. He scanned the console buttons as they flashed frantically at him, hoping the answer would come to him.

“Wilf.” the Doctor muttered as best he could, his face squashed against the floor. “The orangey button in front of you. Press and hold that.”

Wilf found the button and pressed it down hard. He looked around the TARDIS in a panic as it shook once again, the emergency lighting brightening and the cloisters booming louder.

“Now, the lever that’s sticking up. Push it down.”

“Which lever?” Wilf stammered.

“To your right.”

Wilf leant around the console and saw the lever. It was located around the corner and was out of reach. Wilf looked for something, anything he could use to push it down while his finger was on the button. There was nothing. He moved his body as far round the console as he could and stood on one foot. He stretched his other foot out and just barely reached the lever. With great difficulty, he pushed the lever down. The TARDIS jolted once again, knocking Wilf to the ground. And just like that, everything went calm. The lights dimmed and the TARDIS hummed. The peace was only interrupted by the occasional gentle “dong” from the cloister. Not what the Doctor had wanted, but it would have to do. Wilf staggered to his feet.

“Is that…did we get away?”

“Away? Not so much. But we’re safe, relatively speaking.” The Doctor shook himself, sliding slightly across the grating. “Speaking off safe, do you mind…?”

Wilf trotted over to the Doctor and leant down to lift him up. Suddenly, he stopped. A frown spread across his face and he gently placed the Doctor back on the ground.

“Looks uncomfortable.” He sat himself down on the and looked the Doctor in the eyes. “So better talk quickly.”

The Doctors options were quickly running out. He was trapped, he was discovered, and worst of all, he really didn’t look cool with his face squashed up like this. He sighed deeply.

“I am the Doctor.”

Wilf frowned. “You mean you’re a doctor? Because I met THE Doctor, and you ain’t him.”

The Doctor saw an out. He could tell Wilf he was just a doctor. He could run for a little bit longer. He shook his head as best he could. “No, I am THE Doctor. Same one you met before.”

Wilf stroked his chin and looked dubious. “You’re the same Doctor?”

“Yes.”

“Did you…did you get hit with some kind of alien ray?”

The Doctor glared at him. “What do you mean? What are you saying about my face?”

“I’m saying it’s different. Did some kind of alien ray change the way you look?”

“No, I regenerated.”

“Re…re-what?” 

The Doctor shuffled slightly. “It’s a long story, and I’d really rather tell you in a more dignified way.”

Wilf frowned again and gently picked the Doctor up off the floor, placing him the right way up. The Doctor stretched his face out. He could feel the indentation on his face were the grating was pressed.

“So, you are the Doctor? Different face, but the Doctor?”

“Right.”

Wilf turned on the spot, exasperated. “Then, why didn’t you tell me?” He turned on the Doctor, his eyes welling up. “And where is Donna?


	9. Chapter 9

The TARDIS was completely down. All the power went to keeping the Masters out, but it didn’t take them long to figure out a way to stop her from taking off. The doors to the rest of the TARDIS had sealed themselves off as well. Total lockdown was the only alternative. All the Doctor had to work with was what he had in the console room. If it were anyone else, it wouldn’t have been a problem. But the Master was smart, and he was unhinged, and there were over 7 billion of him. Somehow his device that goes ding seemed rather insignificant.

The Doctor had been tinkering for a few hours now. He used as much of the TARDIS as he felt comfortable using. If he removed one part that caused the power to falter though, the Masters would get in and have total control. He couldn’t allow that. And so, he was mostly limited to what he found in his pockets. Sonic Screwdriver, psychic paper, spare bowtie just in case and a few jammie dodgers. He could have sworn he used to carry more than that. He was getting sloppy. 

And then there was Wilf. The Doctor looked over to him. He was still sitting quietly. Up until now the Doctor had left him be. After the Doctor had explained everything, Wilf had untied him and taken a seat. He hadn’t said a word. Some of the Doctors previous regenerations would have been right there with him, making sure he was OK. This version, the Doctor had found, wasn’t so good with human emotions. He figured if Wilf had turned quiet, he must have needed to be quiet. And so, the Doctor left him to it. But now, it had gone on for too long. It was time he stepped in.

The Doctor walked up to Wilf awkwardly, gently punched him on the shoulder and plopped down next to him.

“How’s it going, soldier?” That was a comforting expression, he was sure of it.

“Yeah yeah, I’m OK.” Wilf said, unblinking.

“Ah, good.” The Doctor beamed. That was easy. He stood up and patted Wilf on the back.

“Am I…” Wilf struggled to find the words. “Am I the last human?”

The Doctor scrunched up his face. “Unless there were any humans up there.” He pointed directly up. “I’d say so.”

Wilf ran his hand across his face and let out a small sob. “The last of my kind.”

The Doctor rubbed his hands together and sat back down. “Yeah. I know how you feel. I was the last until the Master showed up. Now, I guess I’m not. And his return has almost wiped out another species. So, I guess what I’m saying is, not being the last of your species isn’t always so good, especially if the rest of your species happen to be the same crazy one.” He put a hand gingerly on Wilfs shoulder. “You know what I mean?”

“No.” Wilf smiled half-heartedly. “But thank you for trying.”

The Doctor gave a smile and a thumbs up, leaping to his feet and getting back to work modifying his device. Wilf shakily got to his feet and joined him.

“What’s the plan then, Doc?”

“Well, the TARDIS protected you from changing. If I could have access to the TARDIS full potential, then there might be a way to undo this. But we’re stuck right now.”

Wilf looked down. “I’m sorry. I should have let you go. We could have…”

“No point in dwelling on it. If I had been honest from the start things might be different as well. We’re here, we have what we have. It could be worst.” A spark burst forth from the device causing it to fall to the floor. The Doctor sighed. “Then again, could be better.”

The Doctor bent down to pick the device up. He heard something clunk down on the TARDIS console. Getting back to his feet, he looked at it. A gun. 

“Maybe this will help.” Wilf said.

The Doctor stared at the gun. His previous incarnation would have turned this down, no questions asked. But right now, he couldn’t take his eyes off it. Was this who he was? Was he capable of using this sort of weapon now? He reached for the gun, touching the trigger gently.

“You expect me to shoot them all?” The Doctor quipped, though his eyes didn’t leave the weapon. “How many bullets do you have?”

“What if you just shot one?”

That snapped the Doctor out of his daydream. The reality hitting home. He pushed the gun away.

“Out of the question.” He hurriedly got back to work on his device.

“You tell me that killing that man wouldn’t work. That killing the original wouldn’t save them all.”

The Doctor ignored him, bashing the device with a hammer causing more sparks to fly.

“Tell me, Doctor.” Wilf shouted.

The Doctor turned angrily. “It’s irrelevant. Taking a life is something I will not do.”

Wilf stared at him defiantly. “You’re saying you haven’t before?”

The Doctor said nothing. He glared at Wilf, his anger boiling. Wilf was right of course. He had taken lives. More than he could count. But if he could avoid it, he would at any cost. Each life weighed on him. And he couldn’t take another one. It would destroy him.

“What about Donna?” The anger faded from the Doctor. Hearing that filled him with sadness, there was no space for anger. Wilf spoke softly. “Are you going to let what happened to Donna happen to everyone else?”

The Doctor turned away. He looked at the gun, then back to Wilf.

“I’m sorry…”

Before he could finish, a voice echoed around the TARDIS.

“Doctor.”

No, not one voice. One of many voices. It came from every side, closing in on the Doctor. The voice of the Masters. It would seem they were finished squabbling and had begun to synchronize. They were speaking at the same time, their voices amplified beyond belief. It was impossible to tell how many surrounded him, but it sounded like hundreds.

“Are you comfortable in there? I hope so. I’m sure you’ve been very busy. So have I. So have we. Once we got over your little trick, we managed to focus our efforts. And you know what, it’s amazing what happens when you work as a team. The results speak for themselves. I have a feeling you’re going to want to step out there. You and your little friend. Time is up. You want to know why you’re going to step out here and join me?”

Wilf looked nervously at The Doctor. “We’re not going out there, are we?”

The voice boomed again. “White-point Star.”

The Doctor froze. Fear pushed all other feelings out of him. He instinctually for the device. His hand went past it, and he grabbed the gun, slipping it into his jacket pocket.

“We are absolutely going out there.”


	10. Chapter 10

Tied to a chair. When this was all over, the Doctor swore he was going to make it his life’s work to destroy every chair he could find. But then he’d probably just be tied to a pole instead, and he couldn’t very well get rid of every pole. What would firemen slide down? Or children swing off? Or a third thing the Doctor couldn’t think off right now? Quite frankly, his mind was on other things. Like the seven Masters who were grinning at him in that annoying way the Master did when he had the upper hand. Two of them had hold of Wilf, who apparently didn’t need his own chair. The Doctor wasn’t sure if he should be annoyed or flattered, so he went for both. 

The main Master walked up to the Doctor. “Doctor Doctor.” He held up the gun, looking at it with a smile. “I approve.”

In a way, it was a relief when the Masters had captured the Doctor and searched him. He wasn’t sure if he was capable of shooting the Master, and it wasn’t something he wanted to find out about himself. Keeping the weapon away from him had taken away the option entirely. However, it did mean that he was now powerless to stop the Masters plan. And what the Master was planning was unthinkable.

“What do you think? Do you think the Time Lords will approve?” The Master spun around taking in his set up. The doorway was all ready and set up to let the Time Lords back through, escaping the time lock and the Time War. “And I didn’t even need your TARDIS.”

The Doctor snorted with laughter, which caught everyone off guard. “Sorry, you’re just terrible at bluffing. We both know you couldn’t have used my TARDIS anyway.”

Honestly, the Doctor hadn’t figured it out until he had exited the TARDIS himself. If he had known when he was inside, then he might have chosen a different plan than getting caught. After he had exited, he was swarmed by the Masters. They demanded that Wilf give himself up, and he complied. Of course, Wilf was not used to TARDIS etiquette. He didn’t know he was always meant to close the door behind him. And so, there was the TARDIS, totally exposed. And not a single Master made to enter. That was when it had clicked.

“You see, I had assumed the TARDIS had protected my young friend here.” The Doctor nodded towards Wilf. “Now, it makes sense. That machine of yours, it’s still working to keep everyone you. It turned changed everyone on the plane. But inside the TARDIS, it’s not on the planet, is it? You couldn’t turn Wilf because he wasn’t on earth. And, if any of your yous enter the TARDIS, they won’t be on the earth either, and bam, your weird copy paste trick will break on them. And heaven forbid you go in. Then they all change back. It must burn you to be so close to the TARDIS, but unable to take her completely.”

There were few pleasures as sweet as watching the Masters grin fade. And this time the Doctor got to watch it seven times. Not that this discovery helped him now. The TARDIS was out of reach, and the Doctor was immobilized.

The Master said nothing. This thought must have dawned on him as well, and it wasn’t like him to not brag about something like this. He simply smiled slightly, and the room was filled with the tapping of buttons as two of the fake Masters got to work. The doorway began to glow. It wouldn’t take long for the bridge from here to the Time War to be connected.

“Listen.” The Doctor pleaded. “If you do this, it’s not just the Time Lords. It’s everything. The Time War, all of it, will come through.”

The Master shrugged. “The universe has been a bit quiet lately. About time we mixed things up.”

“There won’t be time to mix things up. The Time Lords had a plan. It’s why I had to stop them. They were going to destroy the Time Vortex itself. Rip time apart.”

The Master frowned. But the frown faded. “You can do better than that, Doctor. You’re not so good at bluffing yourself.”

“I’m not bluffing.” The Doctor yelled. “If you bring them back, it will be the end of everything.”

The Master smirked. “You’ve always been a good talker, Doctor. But this time, you can’t talk your way out of it. This time, you have no secret plan. This time, I win.”

Suddenly, all the fake Masters bent over in pain. They shot upright and shook their heads at speeds unnatural for humans. The two that were holding Wilf let go. He, the Master and the Doctor looked around in confusion. They were changing back. All of them. The template had snapped.

“What?” The Master was bewildered. “What is happening? Doctor? What have you done?” 

“Nothing.” The Doctor was just as bewildered.

“Isn’t that typical.” A voice came from the end other side of the room. “Men getting credit for a womans work.”

They all looked over at the voice. Wilfs eyes grew wide with disbelief.

“Donna?”


	11. Chapter 11

The golden light faded from within the TARDIS, and once again the console room hummed gently. The Doctor moved his hand slowly from his eyes. Donna was sprawled out on the floor, the Chameleon Arch still attached to her head. The Doctor rushed over to her. He grabbed the headpiece, pulling it off her head. It burned to the touch, but the Doctor didn’t care. He threw it aside as it hissed violently, and smoke burst forth as it clattered across the grating.

“Donna?” The Doctor pulled out his Sonic and scanned her. “Donna, can you hear me?”

She didn’t respond. The Sonic showed no signs of life. The Doctor tossed it aside and placed his ear to her chest. He needed a sign. Any sign. He heard nothing, felt nothing. It hadn’t worked. His friend was gone. He had tossed the dice, and this time he had failed. Donna was dead. 

The Doctor slumped to the ground, looking over his friends’ body. She looked so peaceful. They usually did. The Doctor had grown too accustom to seeing people in this way. He turned his back to her, and pulled his legs up to his chest, hugging them. She knew this would happen. Deep down, he knew as well. And yet, the pain burned within him, along with the guilt. There was nothing to do now except mourn.

Something brushed past the Doctors cheek. He could see it out the corner of his eye. A golden mist. It floated past him gently. The Doctor spun around just in time to see Donnas eyes shoot open. She sat bolt upright and her eyes darted sharply around the TARDIS taking everything in.

“Donna?” The Doctor could barely believe it. “You’re alive.”

“Doctor?” Donna looked at the Doctor. “You’re…wrong.”

Before the Doctor could question her, or anything that had just happened, Donna leapt to her feet and began stretching every part of her body wildly.

“So much energy now. Two hearts, no wonder you’re always so lively.” 

The Doctor slowly got to his feet. He took in the whole situation in silence, watching every move Donna made.

“Brain space is even bigger than before. I know so much. See so much. Wonder if I can…” Donna stopped for a second and concentrated. “Can’t feel anything. Shame, a different body could have been fun. Still, not one to look a gift horse in the mouth. Extended life span will do.”

Donna seemed to notice the Doctor for the first time. She gave him a quick smile and turned on the spot. 

“Good, eh? Full Time Lord. No more stupid human body.” She ran over to the TARDIS console and pressed a few buttons. “Now, new planet? I’ve got a few ideas of where I’d like to go.”

The Doctor walked over to the console cautiously. He pressed a few buttons himself and gave Donna a weak smile. 

“I’ve got an idea myself.”

And with that, the TARDIS jolted into life. Within seconds they had come to a stop. The Doctor nodded to the doors. Donna gave him a suspicious look but strolled to the doors all the same. She flung them open and stepped outside. She looked out on an ordinary street.

“Earth? Been there, done that. Why here?”

The Doctor joined her outside the TARDIS. “Don’t you recognise this place?”

Donna looked around the darkened street. Then it hit her. “OK, yeah. That’s where I used to live. Very nice. Come on, new planet.”

She made to go back inside the TARDIS, but the Doctor blocked her way. Donna glared at him in a way the Doctor had never seen before.

“Donna.” The Doctor nodded to her house. “In there is your family. Your mum, your grandad. They have just been through one of the most traumatizing experiences of their life. In fact, you don’t even know if they’re hurt or worst. Don’t you want to check on them?”

Donna shrugged. “Why?”

The thought had niggled at the Doctor before. When Donna was half and half, she was so keen to run. Now, she had lost all her humanity. Now she was something different. 

The Doctor lowered his head. “Donna. I’m sorry.”

“For what?” Donna snorted. “For making me more than what I was? I was nothing.”

“You were everything.” The Doctor snapped. “You were Donna Noble.”

Donna gave a small smile. “Not anymore.”

The Doctor glared at her. “I see that now. I should never have…”

“But you did.” Donna cut him off. “Now, are you going to let me into your TARDIS? Because I refuse to be stuck here with these little people.”

The Doctor felt his heart drop. Donna was truly gone. The Time Lord that stood in front of him now was Donna without the thing that made her amazing. It was Donna without her humanity.

The Doctor closed the TARDIS doors. “Donna, let me help you. I can…”

“Here he comes.” Donna scoffed. “The hero. The saviour. The one who knows what’s best for everyone. Let me tell you Doctor, I see just as much as you now. Maybe more. And I can see that you are wrong. So wrong.”

“You’re not going anywhere Donna. I can’t let you.”

“Let me?” Donna laughed. “That’s adorable that you think you have a say in this.”

Donna reached into her pocket, and out came a device. Donna strapped it to her wrist. A vortex manipulator? Where had she got that from? Then the Doctor realised. He searched his own pockets. The one he had confiscated from Jack. It was gone. During the commotion, Donna must have slipped it from him.

“You see Doctor, you don’t always know what’s right for people.” She grinned at him, but all the softness of Donna was gone. “See you round.”

In a flash, Donna was gone. The Doctor stood alone on the street. He had lost. Donna was lost. As he looked across the road at the house, thinking how he was going to break the news, the rain began to fall.


	12. Chapter 12

The three men stared at the Time Lord formally known as Donna, each with a different expression. Wilf had a mixture of shock and delight on his face. The Master, fury and confusion. The Doctor however had no idea how he should feel. This was someone new, and he had no idea what her intentions were. At the very least, she had changed everyone back to normal.

Panic enveloped the room as everyone snapped back to their normal face. Some screamed, some were stunned. One was banging desperately from a small, glass container unable to escape. One thing they all had in common was they wanted to get out. They ran from the room stumbling over each other.

“Who…?” The Master choked on his own rage. “Who the hell do you think you are?”

Donna smiled that eerie new smile she had. “Honestly, still not too sure.”

“Donna? What…?” Wilf started.

“Old man, it’s very hard to concentrate with that banging.” Donna nodded her head towards the man trapped in the glass cabinet who was still pounding. “Do you mind?”

Wilf glanced from Donna to the trapped man, flustered. He ran up to the man and listened to the instructions he gave him. The Doctor frowned at Donna. What was she planning? How had she fixed the human race? Fortunately, the Doctor didn’t have to ask, because the Master seemed to be thinking the exact same thing.

“How did you do that? Who is this, Doctor?”

Donna slipped a device from behind her back.

_Ding._

“I should really thank you Doctor for leaving your doors open. Couldn’t help having a little nosey around. You did good work on this thing.” Donna tapped the device that goes ding lovingly. “And after hearing about your little “TARDIS aint on the planet” theory, it was relatively simple to put that theory into practice on this bad boy. Sorry Ghost Rider, technically you aren’t on the planet anymore. At least, according to this device you aren’t.”

The Master shook with anger, his skull flashing for a second as his body continued to fail him. Without a word, he rubbed his hands together and shot an energy bolt right at Donna. The room was filled with a flash as the bolt connected with Donna and was flung back at the Master. It hit him square in the chest flinging him back.

“Aah yes, your little lightening trick. Very easy to deflect really, especially using this bad boy.” Donna tapped the device. “It’s a wonder that the Doctor never thought to do it himself. He’s smart enough to figure it out. However, he’s also compassionated enough to not do it.”

The Master lay on the ground, his breathing becoming shallow. His skull flashed a few more times as his eyes grew heavy. Donna walked up to the machine powering the doorway. It was almost at full power. She ran a finger across it.

“You see, I’ve been a Time Lord for a while now, and you know what I realised?” Donna looked at the Doctor. “I hate them.”

With one push, the machine came crashing to the floor. It sparked and smashed, and with that the doorway closed. The Time Lords didn’t even make it their first step. The Master looked at Donna with all the anger he could muster. He tried to speak, but no words came out. The blast had taken everything out of him. The Doctor watched, tears in his eyes as his friend faded. His energy broke away and fluttered away into nothingness. Donna wasn’t so affected. She laughed and shrugged.

“One less Time Lord.”

“So, this is who you are now? Judge, jury…”

“…and clean up crew, indeed.” Donna walked up to the Doctor. “You don’t approve of my methods?”

The Doctor filled with anger. “You killed him. The Doctor never approves…”

“Yes yes, the Doctor doesn’t like killing. Yet he does when he must. How many have died because you’ve shown sympathy? Fortunately, thanks to you, I’m not confined by such an affliction.”

“Kindness is not an affliction.” The Doctor snapped.

“That’s exactly what it is. Thanks to my coldness, I’ve saved the day and ridded the universe of one more maniac. You’re welcome.”

The Doctor shook his head sadly. “Donna never would have…”

“DONNA IS NOT HERE.” She yelled. “There is only me. And I know all. I am so…vain.”

The Doctor looked at her, confused. Did she just insult herself? For the first time, she looked like she was struggling to find herself. 

“I…I am so certain that I am right. I never used to. This is what all Time Lords feel? Even you Doctor?”

The Doctor stared her down. Was this Donna coming through, or something else?

“Inside a Time Lord mind, there is no room for uncertainty. And uncertainty is necessary. People who think they are right all the time can be very dangerous. That is why the Daleks are the second most dangerous species in the universe. The most dangerous…” Donna smiled weakly and motioned to her and the Doctor.

“Donna, I can help you. Let me try.”

Donna stared blankly at the Doctor. “You are so sure that helping me is the right thing to do, don’t you?”

The Doctor didn’t know how to answer. He struggled to find the words, but nothing came to him. It was his certainty that had made Donna who she was now. Was she right? 

_Tap tap tap tap._

He will knock four times. The Doctor had been so fixated on Donna, he had forgotten…

“Doctor? I can’t seem to…I mean, this thing is making a funny noise.”

Wilf had let the man out, and in turn got himself trapped. He was in the second glass cabinet, and it was indeed making a lot of noise. Donna looked over at him.

“The radiation, it’s about to vent.” She nodded to the glass cabinet. “Right in there.”

The Doctor struggled with his ropes. He was sure he could get out, given enough time. But there wasn’t enough.

“Donna, untie me.”

Donna didn’t move. She didn’t take her eyes off Wilf.

“Donna, please. There’s no time, you have to untie me.” The Doctor struggled harder.

Donna continued to stare. “Fix me? You want to fix me?” She looked over at the Doctor. “Sorry Doctor, but I already am fixed. And if I untie you, you’ll break me.”

She began to tap in co-ordinates into her Vortex Manipulator. 

“Donna, don’t do this. That’s your grandad.”

“Donna?” Wilf didn’t understand what was happening. He didn’t know why she was acting this way. “Sweetheart?”

Donna looked at Wilf. “I’m not Donna. And that is not my grandad.”

With a flash, she was gone. All that remained was The Doctor and Wilf. The room was in silence except for the fizzing and buzzing coming from the cabinet. The Doctor looked at Wilf, desperation in his eyes. He struggled against his ropes.

“It’s OK Wilf. I can get out. I can do this.” He struggled wildly.

Wilf stared at the Doctor with tears in his eyes. “That…that wasn’t my Donna.”

“I can fix her, I promise.”

“How? If you get out of there and save me, you’ll die. How can you save her then?”

Wilf looked at the console in front of him. A glowing red button was flashing. The Doctor recognised that look on his face. He had seen it many times on other people, and he knew what he planned to do.

“Wilf, wait. I can do this. Don’t do anything, just wait.”

Wilf closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Doctor.”

“Wilf, no. Wait, I can do it.” The Doctor struggled as hard as he could. He was so close, he could save him.

“Save Donna.” And with that, Wilf slammed his hand on the button.


End file.
